It should stick in the throat but credit where credit is due the contribution of Fergie, in trying to pave the way for a trouble free day on Sunday, was significant. He was persistent in the run up to the game with his pleas, verbally or via the letter handed out to fans before the match, for tolerance and an end to the chants we sadly hear when we meet the Mancs. On the whole he succeeded and although we’ve had plenty of run ins with him over the years, on this occasion, he deserves our thanks and respect?

It was also good to see Kenny back in the stands after this summer’s parting of the waves. No doubt he has been keeping away from L4 in order to give BR room? I wonder what he makes of everything that’s happened over the last few months. Clearly I can’t second guess him however I wouldn’t be surprised if he was a tad puzzled by the recent transfer window activity (or lack of it) and a tad miffed with the stance that has been taken by BR and others that Liverpool was in terrible state and in need of radical overhaul this summer. There were obvious issues however, no where near as serious as everyone seems to make out. It’s almost as if they’re exaggerating in order to give themselves more time or headroom to get their own plans in place, I just don’t buy it?

I also wonder what he thinks of BR’s attempts to introduce his so called new playing philosophy. I think Kenny can be proud the sides he managed and the one that won the league in 1987-88 was simply one the best I’ve seen. They passed and moved in a way that BR could probably only dream of and the 5-0 drubbing of Nottingham Forest at Anfield is still held up as one of the great games. This side was also pragmatic and could dig in and grind out results if needed (rarely as they were so good) and one wonders, as we keep dropping points, if BR’s purist approach should be tempered, in the short term at least, with a bit of realism?

That said we seem to be improving with every game. Sunderland was better than Arsenal and yesterday, with only ten men remember, was easily our best performance of the season. The fixture list hasn’t been that kind to us with our first five games and optimism is still the key word and Steven Gerrard echoes this

“… it is no time to panic. The fans can see what the manager is trying to do and they can see what the players are trying to do because they are educated supporters. We know if we keep applying that kind of effort and determination it will only be a matter of time before we go on a winning sequence. Not many sides will be able to live with us because we played some good stuff.”

It is also a testimony to the fans that the vast majority remain patient and willing to give BR time. How many fans of other clubs would extend their manager same courtesy if he was in the same situation as BR?

Meanwhile Luis Suarez continues to be a ripe topic of discussion. Having hopefully put to bed one incident with his handshake with Patrice Evra on Sunday the up coming issue appears to be his reputation with referees, specifically his alleged penchant for going down too easily in the penalty area. Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson believe he is a wronged man, sounds familiar? Said Gerrard

“It’s down to referees to not judge him. I think even when Luis does get blatant penalties, now he doesn’t get them”

And then Johnson in relation to Sunday’s decision where by the Mancs were awarded a penalty

“Reputations go in front of people at times and because Valencia is not a known diver that is why he got the decision. I almost guarantee if it was exactly the same situation and it was Luis and not Valencia then it wouldn’t be a penalty”

I don’t quite understand the reasoning behind this. To my mind Suarez is bringing all this on himself, it negates Gerrard’s and Johnson’s stance. I “almost guarantee” that if Suarez stopped diving in the box and exaggerating every time he is touched he would have better luck with referees. However he hasn’t learnt (surely BR should have a word) and continues to, embarrassingly, play referees and opposition for fools. He is a great, great player but this is a massive fault, if it continues the club will continue suffer as they did on Sunday. Then he was denied a penalty. Why? Because the referee is biased or cr*p? May be but also because he has a reputation of histrionics and diving that goes before him.

As for Glen Johnson’s comments about Valencia getting a penalty because he “not a known diver” well what tosh! Valencia got the penalty because Johnson clumsily bought him down. Such was the obviousness of the challenge that I “almost guarantee” that had Suarez been in the same situation he would have also got the decision, reputation or no reputation?

Which brings us to tonight’s game against West Brom in the League Cup. I have no doubt that BR will field a different side from Sunday partly because every team seems to do this and because, ominously, injuries are starting to tell. After Sunday we have lost Martin Kelly until next year, Daniel Agger is awaiting a scan on suspected ligament damage and, perhaps more worryingly given our lack of personnel in this area, Fabio Borini (ankle). Jonjo Shelvey is suspended. I guess it’s at times like this that we will reap the benefits from giving the “non first teamers” a run out against teams such as Young Boys?

Whoever plays we will no doubt be looking to avenge the opening day defeat at the Hawthorns and of course, as cup holders, we will determined to go further in the competition. Why do I not feel entirely convinced by any of this!!!! Hopefully we’ll continue to treat this with some semblance of respect and I take us to build on our gradual improvement with a narrow win, 2-1.

no way – that’s a step backwards. he won’t be sacked unless we finish behind 8th or 9th and without success in other cups. BR signed for the long term with the future in mind, it would make no sense if he was sacked so easily. have faith in him!

I almost guarantee you didn’t watch sunday’s game. While there was a contact between Evans and Suarez, there was none between Johnson and Valencia (Johnson hit Reina instead). And, RVP’s tackle wasn’t nicer than Shelvey’s.

As for your “if Suarez stopped diving in the box and exaggerating every time he is touched he would have better luck with referees”, glad you said “everytime he is touched”. Drogba fell with no reasons and always got decisions.

While Liverpool will struggle this season, I wish your team, Man Utd will start winning big games by themselves, without the referee’s help. And by the way, Fergie is really embarrassing. A great coach with big results he is, but being the 4th official isn’t in his mandates.

Sorry to say the same but you are lame in your assessment of the game and your stance on Suarez. As a reporter you should not be as bias, you come across more as an idiot than someone who actually knows what he is talking about.

Leave your emotions out of it and you might just give us something to think about. As for the ref … it was a shame since he spoiled a brilliant game.

I’m still trying to think how two people jump into the same tackle in almost identicle fashion and only one gets punished. It’s stupid tring to justify it. The penalty is also silly otherwise Johnson was suppose to get a yellow. Too many variables that makes it a weak call.

i am sure you did not watch the same game, there was no conduct between johnson and valencia, please be objective, would you call that a win. even if it was liverpool i was not going to like the win. and as for shevely the other idiot went there with double openn feet but there was no courtion, look
at vp’s tackle it was worse than shevely’s

Please lets be civil here. Everyone is entitled to an opinion….hence here is mine. With respect to Suarez’s diving issue, the ref should be able to able to see the woods from the trees. Surely he should not prejudge any player by reputation or otherwise. He must call it as sees it and not discount the habitual light weighted player who tumbles easily from the “real ” fouls. If he cant tell the diff then he shouldn’t referee.Players from all teams ie. Cristiano Ronaldo ,Drogba , Welbeg, Rooney. Owen etc will all do their best to win a penalty for their team if the opportunity is before them. Its part of the game like it or not..Its refs that to wise up and get smarter. Don’t single out Suarez as though he is some rogue.People should just get off his case and let him play football. They manner in which you have singled him out is as though this ” reformed racist ” is now bringing the club to disrepute on a new issue.Absolutely over the top.
Did you watch the same game some ask ? I think clearly the Shelvey sending off was wrong on 2 counts.Firstly both Evan and him should just have been cautioned(my humble view ) or they are both off. It was a poor call and the ref should be brought to task.As for the penalty ….well that was 50;50 in my books. Camera evidence is now critically needed for red cards. penalties and disputed goals . these calls change the whole game and a bad call can mean the difference between trophies , titles and relegation. When is the FA going to learn.????
MU and penalties and favorable decisions is a perennial matter . Can you blame the others from forming this opinion ?? 3 penalties in 5 games alone this season ? did you see wellbeck one ? Utterly shameful !!! As the benefactor Sir Alex is profoundly quiet about this but if the tables were turned ……old red nose would be throwing a tantrum worst than you can imagine.
My final word on the game is leave Suarez alone , let BR work on the team , lets not be overly hard on the team which performed wonderfully against 12 men

No I didn’t watch the game I was out in the garden pruning my roses sporting my rose tinted spectacles. Everything you have read is product of my own imagination yes I made it all up!!!!!!!

What no contact between Johnson and Valencia? Watch it again. By the way LFC4Life I am not a “reporter” this is a blog and it is through this forum that emotions do come to the fore so take it, or leave it! If you want reporting go buy a newspaper!

For some of you to call me “pro Mancs” simply because I praised Fergie for his efforts in making sure the events to remember the 96 on Sunday went off Ok is quite frankly immature nonsense. We are all human beings and when something like Hillsborough is involved rivalries should be put aside. Fergie showed good support for the 96 and their families in the lead up to the Mancs game and I am not embarrassed to praise him for it. As for an alleged pro Mancs stance I suggest you read more of my articles (this blog has been going since 2006) but presumably that would be too much effort compared to firing off ill thought out, knee jerk emails after reading one opening paragraph.

As for Suarez he is a great player but he is also a diver. Referees are now aware of this. Genuine penalties and fouls aren’t being given because of this. I don’t care what you say about referees they are human this doesn’t detract from the fact that Suarez needs to change his ways, I don’t want to see him rolling around as if he has been shot when all he’s got is a nudge or, worse still, no contact at all. It is cheating and not the sort of behaviour I want to see from a Liverpool player.

Finally as for KK taking over from BR I won’t even justify such ridiculousness with a comment!!!!!!

Why would Fergie seek praise for doing what he is supposed to do in the first place? He called for peace and everyone should bow before him? Nonsense… My point is, Fergie has been an outstanding manager for all these years, but he is growing into something undesirable. His influence is negatively impacting the game – watch closely how every 4th official runs to his feet to explain every decision the ref takes on the pitch. That is what I call a pity!

Otherwise, about Suarez diving skills, can you recall which particular dives earned him his “reputation”? I don’t recall any dive that earned him a penalty. Be objective and acknowledge he is same as every other good striker in the league: like Wellbeck, Ashley Young, Valencia, Drogba, etc.

You are missing the point. I am praising Fergie for his support of the families of the 96 at this game. Do you genuinely think that given the occasion he shouldn’t have done or said anything? Do you genuinely think he should have said nothing to the Mancs fans and run the risk of them spoiling the occasion? If the answer is “yes” what does that say about you as a human being? I don’t think he was expecting everyone to bow before him for doing that, he was not on some ego trip just calling for decent behaviour as any one with an once of compassion and sympathy would do. Your other comments about Fergie may be valid but they are, in this instance, irrelevant.

As for Suarez there was the dive against Arsenal at Anfield last season and then in the game this season. He was shown a yellow card for diving against Aston Villa last season and against at Sunderland this season. There are more but is that enough “evidence” for you? I’m not interested in other strikers in the league and how they behave, (two wrongs do not make a right) but I don’t want Suarez (who is great player) to cheat and try and con the referees, it’s embarrassing.